Eremophila alternifolia

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Narrow-leaved poverty bush
Eremophila alternifolia flower.jpg
Growing in the ANBG
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Scrophulariaceae
Genus: Eremophila
Species:
E. alternifolia
Binomial name
Eremophila alternifolia
Synonyms [1]
  • Bondtia alternifolia Kuntze orth. var.
  • Bontia alternifolia(R.Br.) Kuntze
  • Eremophila alternifoliaR.Br. var. alternifolia
  • Eremophila alternifolia var. latifoliaF.Muell. ex Benth.
  • Pholidia alternifolia(R.Br.) Wettst.
  • Stenochilus alternifolius(R.Br.) Kraenzl.

Eremophila alternifolia, commonly known as the narrow-leaved emu bush [2] or narrow-leaved poverty bush, [3] is a plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae, and is endemic to areas between the far west of New South Wales, the far south of the Northern Territory and the southern half of Western Australia. It is a variable shrub, with respect to its growth form, leaf shape and flower colour. Aboriginal Australians used the leaves to treat ailments such as colds and skin infections and pharmacological testing has shown that the leaves contain compounds that affect cardiac activity.

Contents

Description

Eremophila alternifolia is a shrub with many branches and varying in height but mostly 1–4 m (3–10 ft). The branches have many raised resin glands and raised leaf scars. The leaves are arranged alternately and are usually 20–40 mm (0.8–2 in) long, 1–3 mm (0.04–0.1 in) wide although other dimensions are common. The leaves vary in shape from almost cylinder-shaped to flattened and egg-shaped but have a small point on the end. [4] [5] [6] [7] [8]

The flowers are purple, red, pink, white, cream, or yellow and appear on the plant from early winter to early autumn. The flowers are arranged singly in leaf axils on an s-shaped stalk which is usually 20–40 mm (0.8–2 in) long. There are 5 greenish-yellow or reddish, egg-shaped sepals, mostly 7–10 mm (0.3–0.4 in) long with the outer ones slightly smaller. The 5 petals are 18–30 mm (0.7–1 in) long and joined at their base to form a tube with the upper 4 lobes pointed and the lower one spreading. Flowering occurs from June to October and is followed by fruit which are cone-shaped, dry, woody, glabrous and 5–7 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long. [4] [5] [6] [8]

Taxonomy and naming

The species was first formally described in 1810 by Robert Brown and the description was published in Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae . [9] [10] The specific epithet (alternifolia) is a botanical term meaning "having leaves that alternate on each side of a stem". [11]

Other common names for this species are round-leaved poverty bush, scented poverty bush, emubush, native honeysuckle, honeysuckle and narrow-leaved fuchsia bush. [12]

In 1870, George Bentham described two subspecies in Flora Australiensis : [13]

Distribution

Eremophila alternifolia occurs in arid areas of Western Australia, South Australia, Northern Territory and the Barrier Range in New South Wales, in many different habitats with stony or red soil. [14] [15] [3] [16]

Conservation status

In Western Australia this poverty bush is widespread and is classified as "not threatened" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife. [3]

Uses

Medicine

Parts of this plant have been used as a traditional medicine. A small quantity was used in a preparation for treating colds and inflammation of the throat, an infusion of the leaves as a soporific, and other parts combined as a topical treatment. An indigenous name for the plant, Tarrtjan translated as "Goldfields", a region in the West where it is found. [15] [17] Compounds such as verbascoside present in the leaves of this species have been shown to have both antibacterial properties and the ability to dilate blood vessels. [18]

Horticulture

This eremophila is an attractive shrub which is covered with masses of flowers in season. As with other members of the genus, it is sold as a drought resistant garden plant that is appealing to birds. [15] It is a common garden plant, growing best in dry climates, but has also been grown in more humid areas. Most forms are moderately frost tolerant but require well-drained soil and full sun. It is most easily propagated from cuttings. [19] [20] [21]

Related Research Articles

<i>Eremophila</i> (plant) Genus of flowering plants

Eremophila is a genus of more than 270 species of plants in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae all of which are endemic to mainland Australia.. Eremophilas are widespread in the arid areas of Australia, especially Western Australia and range in size from low-growing shrubs to small trees. The petals are joined, at least at their bases, into a tube with the upper petals different in size and shape from the lower ones. Some species have common names including emu bush, poverty bush or fuchsia bush, reflecting the belief that emus eat the fruit, their arid environment or a superficial resemblance to the flowers of plants in the genus Fuchsia.

<i>Eremophila glabra</i> Species of plant

Eremophila glabra, commonly known as tar bush, is a plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Australia. It is sometimes a low, ground-hugging and sometimes an erect shrub. The leaves are variable in size and shape and there is a range of flower colours. In spite of its scientific name, not all forms of the plant are glabrous but most have many small, raised glands on the stems, flowers and leaves.

<i>Eremophila longifolia</i> Species of plant

Eremophila longifolia, known by a range of common names including berrigan, is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Australia. It is a shrub or small tree with weeping branches, long, narrow leaves and brick-red or pink flowers and is found in all Australian mainland states and the Northern Territory.

<i>Eremophila oppositifolia</i> Species of plant

Eremophila oppositifolia, commonly known as weeooka, twin-leaf emu bush and mountain sandalwood, is a plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae, and is endemic to Australia. It is a shrub or small tree with its leaves arranged in opposite pairs and has cream to red or sometimes maroon coloured flowers. It occurs in all mainland states, but not the Northern Territory.

<i>Eremophila debilis</i> Species of flowering plant

Eremophila debilis, the winter apple or amulla, is a flowering plant in the figwort family Scrophulariaceae, and is endemic to an area extending from north Queensland to near the border between New South Wales and Victoria in Australia. It is a prostrate shrub with elliptic to lance-shaped or egg-shaped leaves and white, rarely deep mauve flowers.

<i>Eremophila scoparia</i> Species of plant

Eremophila scoparia, commonly known as silver emubush, is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Australia. It is a broom-like shrub with narrow, hooked leaves, small sepals and deep lilac-coloured to white petals and is common and widespread in southern parts of the continent.

<i>Eremophila bowmanii</i> Species of plant endemic to Australia

Eremophila bowmanii, also known as silver turkeybush, Bowman's poverty bush and flannel bush, is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to New South Wales and Queensland in Australia. It is a low to medium, spreading shrub with silvery-grey, hairy foliage and blue to lilac flowers, and sometimes grows in dense thickets with mulga.

<i>Eremophila decipiens</i> Species of plant

Eremophila decipiens, commonly known as slender fuchsia bush or narrow-leaved fuchsia bush is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to an area extending from the south-west of Western Australia to southern parts of South Australia. It is low, sprawling shrub with lance-shaped leaves and red, orange or yellow flowers on a long, S-shaped stalk.

<i>Eremophila denticulata</i> Species of flowering plant

Eremophila denticulata, also known as toothed eremophila, toothed poverty bush and Fitzgerald eremophila, is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with red flowers and leaves that have toothed margins.

<i>Eremophila clarkei</i> Species of flowering plant

Eremophila clarkei, commonly known as turpentine bush, is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia, South Australia and the Northern Territory. It is a shrub which is variable in form, but usually with narrow leaves and white or pale pink flowers. It is similar to Eremophila georgei and Eremophila granitica.

<i>Eremophila maitlandii</i> Species of flowering plant

Eremophila maitlandii, commonly known as Shark Bay poverty bush, is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a silvery-grey shrub with linear leaves and lilac-coloured to light purple flowers and is common in coastal areas between Shark Bay and Carnarvon.

<i>Eremophila deserti</i> Species of plant

Eremophila deserti is a shrub which is endemic to Australia. Common names for this species include turkey bush, dogwood, poison bushEllangowan poison bush, pencil bush and carrot bush. It is common and widespread in all mainland states, although not the Northern Territory. Some forms are poisonous to stock.

<i>Myoporum insulare</i> Species of plant

Myoporum insulare, commonly known as common boobialla, native juniper, is a species of flowering plant in the figwort family Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to coastal areas of Australia. It is a shrub or small tree which grows on dunes and coastal cliffs, is very salt tolerant and widely used in horticulture.

<i>Myoporum parvifolium</i> Species of plant

Myoporum parvifolium, commonly known as creeping boobialla, creeping myoporum, dwarf native myrtle or small leaved myoporum is a plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae. It is a low, spreading shrub with long, trailing stems and white, star-shaped flowers and is endemic to southern Australia including Flinders Island.

<i>Eremophila sturtii</i> Species of plant

Eremophila sturtii, commonly known as turpentine bush, is a shrub endemic to Australia. Aboriginal people give it names including munyunpa and watara. A medium to large shrub, it is often multi-stemmed and has narrow leaves and lilac-coloured to pale mauve flowers. It is widespread and common in the drier parts of Australia and occurs in all mainland states, although it is endangered in Victoria. It is sometimes regarded as a weed, partly because of its ability to reproduce vegetatively.

<i>Myoporum platycarpum</i> Species of plant

Myoporum platycarpum, known by several common names including sugarwood, false sandalwood and ngural is a plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae. It is rounded with bright green foliage as a young shrub and roughly fissured, dark grey bark when mature. Sugarwood is endemic to the southern half of continental Australia.

<i>Eremophila gilesii</i> Species of plant endemic to Australia

Eremophila gilesii, commonly known Charleville turkey bush, green turkey bush, desert fuchsia and Giles emu bush is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Australia. It is usually a low, spreading shrub with pinkish-lilac to purple flowers and is widespread in the Northern Territory and all mainland states except Victoria. It is considered a difficult agricultural weed in some parts of Queensland but is often used as a bush medicine by Aboriginal people.

<i>Eremophila margarethae</i> Species of flowering plant

Eremophila margarethae, commonly known as sandbank poverty bush, is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a low, spreading shrub with grey leaves, flowers a shade of pink or purple, common in central areas of Western Australia.

<i>Eremophila spinescens</i> Species of flowering plant

Eremophila spinescens is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a low, spreading, rigid, spiny shrub with small leaves and lilac to dark purple flowers.

Eremophila undulata, commonly known as wavy-leaved eremophila, is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a small shrub with greenish-brown flowers and leaves that have a wavy margin.

References

  1. 1 2 "Eremophila alternifolia". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
  2. ↑ "Eremophila alternifolia". Australian Native Plants Society (Australia). Retrieved 2023-12-19.
  3. 1 2 3 "Eremophila alternifolia". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
  4. 1 2 Chinnock, R.J. (Bob) (2007). Eremophila and allied genera : a monograph of the plant family Myoporaceae (1st ed.). Dural, NSW: Rosenberg. pp. 617–618. ISBN   9781877058165.
  5. 1 2 Chinnock, Robert J. "Eremophila alternifolia". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, Plantnet. Retrieved 9 December 2015.
  6. 1 2 Archer, William. "Eremophila alternifolia". Esperance Wildflowers. Retrieved 9 December 2015.
  7. ↑ "Eremophila alternifolia". Lucid Central. Retrieved 9 December 2015.
  8. 1 2 3 4 Brown, Andrew; Buirchell, Bevan (2011). A field guide to the eremophilas of Western Australia (1st ed.). Hamilton Hill, W.A.: Simon Nevill Publications. pp. 34–35. ISBN   9780980348156.
  9. ↑ "Eremophila alternifolia". APNI. Retrieved 9 December 2015.
  10. ↑ Brown, Robert (1810). Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae. London. p. 518. Retrieved 9 December 2015.
  11. ↑ Brophy, Joseph J.; Craven, Lyndley A.; Doran, John C. (2013). Melaleucas : their botany, essential oils and uses. Canberra: Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research. p. 73. ISBN   9781922137517.
  12. ↑ "Eremophila alternifolia". APNI. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
  13. ↑ Bentham, George; von Mueller, Ferdinand (1870). Flora Australiensis (Volume 5). London: Lovell Reeve & Co. p. 30. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
  14. ↑ "Eremophila alternifolia R.Br". PlantNET - New South Wales Flora Online. Royal Botanic Gardens & Domain Trust, Sydney Australia. Retrieved 5 February 2013.
  15. 1 2 3 Eremophila alternifolia — Poverty Bush FloraBase: Plant of the Month — February 2012
  16. ↑ Paczkowska, Grazyna; Chapman, Alex R. (2000). The Western Australian flora : a descriptive catalogue. Perth: Wildflower Society of Western Australia. p. 333. ISBN   0646402439.
  17. ↑ Richmond, Guy S. (1993). "A review of the use of Eremophila (Myoporaceae) by Australian Aborigines". Journal of the Adelaide Botanic Garden. 15 (2): 101–107.
  18. ↑ Pennacchio, Marcello; Ghisalberti, Emilio L (January 2000). "Indigenous knowledge and pharmaceuticals". Journal of Australian Studies. 24 (64): 173–175. doi:10.1080/14443050009387569. S2CID   54745135.
  19. ↑ "Eremophila alternifolia". Australian Native Plants Society Australia. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 9 December 2015.
  20. ↑ Wrigley, John W.; Fagg, Murray (1983). Australian native plants : a manual for their propagation, cultivation and use in landscaping (2nd ed.). Sydney: Collins. p. 212. ISBN   0002165759.
  21. ↑ Boschen, Norma; Goods, Maree; Wait, Russell (2008). Australia's eremophilas : changing gardens for a changing climate. Melbourne: Bloomings Books. p. 66. ISBN   9781876473655.

[[Category:Taxa named by Robert Brown (botanist, born 1773)

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